I
by biscuit'nd'pakkun
Summary: What does Naruto feel after Hinata confessed to her?  NaruHina ONESHOT. :


_Wh-what was that about?_

Naruto thought as he's walking towards the ramen shop. He felt tired and weary all over. Maybe because of what happened yesterday.

Yesterday. He fought the god realm of Pain. The Akatsuki leader is unbearably strong. But in the end, he managed to save Konoha from the peril of Akatsuki.

But there is one moment that he cannot forget. It is etched in his reminiscence.

_I used to always cry and give up...I nearly went the wrong way...but you... you showed me the right way...I was always chasing you...wanting to overtake you... I just wanted to walk with you... I wanted to be with you... You changed me! Your smile saved me!  
So I'm not afraid to die protecting you!  
Because...  
__I love you..._

Then, Hinata was stabbed by Pain.

Yes. Hinata. The timid girl who always stays at the background. A wallflower who tries her best in everyway. The shy girl that always blushes everytime she's noticed. And it never came to Naruto that she will like _him_.

Or is he just that numb?

He sighed as he dismissed the thought. Naruto looked ahead and saw everyone. Sakura, Sai, Ino, Shikamaru, Choji, Lee, Neji, Tenten, Shino, Kiba and Hinata.

Hinata.

His heart skipped a beat.

_N-naruto-kun…_

Hinata blushed slightly, and smiled a little.

"Konnichiwa!" Naruto greeted all of them happily.

Hinata looked down, still smiling. She's used to the fact that Naruto doesn't talk to her in front of many people. It's okay for her just to see him, to hear his voice, his laughter. That's enough for her. She's happy that way.

But today, she felt something's missing. She felt uncomfortable. She felt conscious of how she looks. She never felt very very shy in front of the boy she likes – Naruto. Maybe because of what she have done yesterday – She confessed to Naruto – and she never even thought she can do it.

She raised her head again. She felt heavy with what she saw. Naruto's already leaving with his team mates, Sakura and Sai. Hinata always had weak emotions – she felt like crying right there at that very moment – but she's controlling it. She's very good at hiding anyway.

Why is she sad? Because she felt she had made the wrong move. Wrong move of telling him what she truly feels about him. And now, she feels Naruto keeps a farther distance from her.

She sighed.

"Hey, Hinata. Let's go." Kiba told her, smiling. That somehow lifts her mood – just a little. Kiba is like a big brother to her.

"Bye guys!" Sakura bid goodbye as she ran off to the Hokage's office.

"Bye Sakura-chan!" Naruto and Sai said simultaneously.

The two boys walked in silence. Sai felt the weird aura of Naruto.

"Naruto? Are you okay?"

Naruto didn't know what to answer. But maybe he could tell the truth to Sai. He's a good friend anyway.

"I... think so… not…"

"What's the problem?"

"Sai… Are you reading books about…"

"About what?"

"Uhm.. Girls confessing to boys…"

"No." Sai answered thoughtfully. "But I have read in a personality book that if someone confesses to you, you shouldn't make a gap or distance –"

Naruto cut Sai short. "O-okay I understand!" He said as he started running off. "T-thanks!"

Sai just nodded, wondering what's into his team mate.

_I shouldn't give her a cold shoulder… I should… I should… Because… Because…_

Naruto panted as he ran and ran searching for Hinata. He's been running for about half an hour. He ran around a curve, then another, and…

"Kiba!" He called.

The brown spiky haired boy turned around. "Naruto?"

"Hinata. Where's Hinata?" Naruto puffed.

"Training fields. Is there something wrong?" Kiba gave him a what-is-wrong-with-you look.

"Thanks!" He said as he ran off immediately.

_What in the hell? _Kiba just shook his head.

_Hinata…_

It's already twilight. But he still hasn't caught a glimpse of her, even a strand of her hair. He already is in the training fields. He got tired of running, so he silently sat under a large tree, discreet like a cat. He doesn't know why he is doing it silently.

He felt bad that he snobbed her all the way. Why? Because part of him is telling him that he feels something for her too. He's guilty of making her feel that she is just something for him. He needs to make up for it. He needs to. He badly needs to.

He shoved his face in his hands.

Then he heard someone sniffed behind the tree, as if that person just finished crying.

Swift like a cat, he looked around, behind the tree. He saw a girl, the same age as him, with long hair, her knees brought up near her face, and her face shoved between her knees. But the girl seems not to notice him.

His heart skipped a beat. _Huh? H-hinata?_

"Kiba-kun?" Hinata weakly said.

_Kiba? _Naruto thought with a pang of jealousy. Yes, he felt jealousy.

"Are you okay?" Naruto answered as he imitated Kiba's voice.

"Yeah…" Hinata laughed dryly, still not raising her head. "Thank you… W-where is Akamaru?"

Naruto felt nervous. "H-he's at our house, resting…" He sat down behind her.

Silence.

"Hinata…" He said, still imitating Kiba's voice.

"Y-yes?"

"Naruto likes to say he's sorry…" He said as he bit his lip, fighting back tears. "He's terribly sorry…" His voice faltered.

Hinata recognized the voice. She raised her head and looked at the person behind her. She felt her cheek became warm. Her heart thumped faster.

Then she felt Naruto's arms wrapping around her. "I-I'm sorry… I…" His voice is shaking. He felt tears poring out from his blue eyes. "H-hinata… I… I like you too… Maybe that's why I feel guilty all the time… Because I kept on denying it… I'm sorry…" He tightened his hug, and after a minute, released her.

Hinata still looked shocked. She can't believe what he had said. She just stared at him, wide-eyed. She blushed wildly, good thing it was dark already, she thought.

Naruto wiped his tears. "Hinata?"

He saw Hinata is crying too.

Hinata sniffed. "N-naruto-k-kun…" She finally spoke. "Y-you do not n-need to say s-sorry… Y-you haven't done anything wrong…"

"Thank you, Hinata…" He said as he stood up and faced Hinata. He offered his hand to help her stand up. "Can I walk you home?"

Hinata blushed more as she accepted Naruto's hand. "Thank you N-naruto-kun…" She smiled, and felt happy. At least she knew Naruto cared about her. She wiped her tear-stricken face with her other hand.

She's expecting him to let go of her hand but he didn't.

"What's wrong Hinata? L-let's go." Behind the dim moonlight, Naruto is blushing too.

And they walked together silently but they're happy, deep inside.


End file.
